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Blaze Orange Tarp?

Just call me the Stealthy Cannibal.

Didn’t even do it on purpose! In fact, the whole point was to be seen! Saturday was opening season for guns here in the Sunshine State. I didn’t make it to the formal campgrounds because of a late start after work and traffic on the way to the trailhead. So, knowing the guns would be out and about I decided to camp right off the trail. Nice to wake with visible blazes on both sides of you.

Well, at about 5:20 I was laying there waiting for the sun to come up. My hiking buddy, in a tent, was apparently doing the same thing. Next thing we know there is what I will call a “call” that could not have been more than 15 feet away. This was a bad call; really bad. I don’t even know what the heck this guy was trying to call for! It was so bad that even though I was concerned about his proximity, I laughed out loud. My buddy was in her tent giggling too! I guess we hurt this fella’s ego and we heard him immediately go through the bush away from us.

However, the whole thing left me a little rattled to have a hunter that close to a site that was about as non-stealth as you can get. I left my pack hanging very visibly with my orange blaze vest over it. We all know how stealthy those bright tents are ! Based on his skills (or lack there of) with a call, I assume this was an inexperienced hunter. However, it has me thinking of a Blaze Orange tarp. Anybody have a tarp that they use during hunting season, or do ya’ll just take your chances?

No I don't change my set up at all. I have abetter chance of dying in a car accident on the way to the trailhead then getting shot by a hunter in the woods.

Every year around hunting season this comes up, an unwarranted fear of hunters in the woods. I am a hunter (bowhunter and competetive archer) and I share the woods with nonconsumptive users every year. I have helped with two rescue.search operations while hunting in Colorado and New Mexico, and helped two very lost, tired and dehydrated hikers find their way out of Lincoln National Forest. My point is, most hunters aren't going to hurt you, and most will give you the shirt off their backs to help you.

We share our trails with cyclists, equestrians, hunters, bird watchers and several other users. Hunters are no different, we just carry our weapons so everyone can see them.

hunter's pay the largest share of the money thay goes to helping keep our wilderness areas wild. years ago we voted for a SELF IMPOSED tax to help conservation efforts all of the country, it' called Pittman Robertson Funds. Originally all hunting related gear was taxed extra to collect this, it has grown to other areas as well now, but the lion's share still comes from hunters. Many of those beautifull national lands, State owned public lands and leased private lands are a direct result of money hunting pumps into the system. So enjoy!

The next time you see a hunter on the trail instead of thinking he/she is a beer swilling, gun toting redneck (some of us are that as well, but not in a bad way) introduce yourself, you may make a good friend.

BTW, the 'call' you heard was proly either a bleat (doe or kid) or a grunt (bucks). Deer are very vocal animals and learning how they communicate vocally is a life long endeavor. If you have never heard a deer grunt or bleat it does sound out of place or strange, but they make a wide range of sounds and even have a very complicated body language. If you would like to see more deer learning a few basic grunt and bleat calls is a good way to get them within sight, and sometimes within touching distance.

Having said all that, when I go into the Colorado back country or New Mexico with my goats, they all wear Blaze orange panniers and blankets, and slee under a Blaze Orange tarp. But they could easily be mistaken for deer, brownish grey Nubians, 210 lbs each. Yea, I would kill some one if they shot one of my buddies

Hogn8r- I agree with your post and didn't mean to imply anything bad about hunters; this is their time of the year in the woods and I respect that. I don't believe for a minute that one would intentionally fire at me, I just want to be sure they know I'm there.

This sound didn't resemble any deer call I've ever heard and growing-up in Texas, you hear a lot of deer calls. It sounded like a broken duck call!? We spoke with several hunters during our hike; they all thought we were a little crazy walking around the woods with backpacks, but all were friendly. I've nothing but love for those who provide the meat that I love to eat! I just don't want to be an accidental victim because of my own mistakes.

Nothing against hunters, I know lots of good ones and who I'd feel safe with... But I also know quite a few who are downright scary... I'll live without going into high risk areas for the season. Rifles are my main concern. Bowhunting is quite different in many ways.

I know the odds are low, but if the worst does happen surviving it is low too...

FWIW I'm a firearms safety instructor and range safety officer. I have hunted in the past and will again. But that still doesn't mean I would give a carte blanche that its "safe out there." I see too many hunters bring their rifles in for our free sight-in at our club (We do it every year as a community service) and the lack of skill and accuracy as well as rifles that are WAY off always shocks me. (You'd think I'd stop being shocked at some point...)

Last edited by Rapt; 11-13-2007 at 12:41.

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So many projects, So little time....
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No I don't change my set up at all. I have abetter chance of dying in a car accident on the way to the trailhead then getting shot by a hunter in the woods.

Just because it's less likely doesn't mean it's unwise to take precautions. Lots of things fall into that category.

Originally Posted by Hogn8r

The next time you see a hunter on the trail instead of thinking he/she is a beer swilling, gun toting redneck

Why is it that each time hunting is brought up it's followed by some hyper-defensive post that all hunters are not drunken rednecks? I have yet to see a post even remotely suggesting so. He's just asking if he should switch a orange tarp during the season. Lighten up.

I've met plenty of hunters and have never had a bad experience. Last trip after a really late or real early (4am) start, we ran across 2 hunters heading into the bush, they scared the poop out of me because I didn't expect to see anyone on the trail at 5am.

Few years ago, was hiking with my buddy and we came apon 2 hunters in their mid-70's. Spent 20 minutes talking to them swapping stories. Funniest thing was they said they come out a few times a year and don't take their guns off their shoulders even if they see something. They said it's too much work now that they are older to drag the deer back to the car.

I've noticed that if you stay around well known camp sites, even wilderness ones you don't get bothered.

Just because it's less likely doesn't mean it's unwise to take precautions. Lots of things fall into that category.

True, but my point is you shouldn't feel unsafe, not that it isn't unwise to take precautions. In 2004 Texas issued over 1,091,000 hunting licesnses, there were 4 hunting related fatalities, 2 were self inflicted, and of the remaining 2 only one involved a victim walking up on a hunter that wasn't with the hunter in the first place. The last one was shot when both hunters were climbing a ladder stand with a loaded rifle.

So my point is, we don't need to feel unsafe during hunting season. If you do, use Blaze Orange (it's probably a good idea anyway), but I don't, because I don't feel that the threat is high enough to warrant a change in my gear.

Why is it that each time hunting is brought up it's followed by some hyper-defensive post that all hunters are not drunken rednecks? I have yet to see a post even remotely suggesting so. He's just asking if he should switch a orange tarp during the season. Lighten up.

It's called sterotyping and all of us do it. It isn't politicaly correct to talk about it, but it still happens, and like it or not (not) the sterotypical hunter is a drunk, armed redneck without a clue. And I am hyper-defensive about all of my pursuits, being a Christian, rock climber, hammocker, hiker, cyclist, LNT whatever. And I don't think I was hyper-defensive, I was jusy trying to educate and be informative.

With a total accident percentage of .0027% I feel safe enough to hammock with my regular set up.